Chapter 3
Violet entered the full bar.
She tried to recall if this was the same one as last night, but she couldn't remember.
She guessed she hadn't been there before as they allowed her to enter, and usually after embarrassing herself on top of the bar she isn't invited back.
She cringed as she thought of what she had done her first night here.
She had been alone and as usual lonely, so had decided to drown her sorrows in a bucket of cocktails, after her third "sex on the beach" and forth "Brazilian Twist" she had decided the exotic dancers on the bar weren't doing it probably and showed them how. She couldn't remember getting off the bar or getting home.
She cringed again. She wasn't a drinker. Not usually.
She was a firm believer alcohol couldn't solve problems but she had decided that it could make her momentarily forget them.
She looked around the bar and was thankful she didn't recognise anyone.
She watched the barman make some kind of pink cocktail that had a little wooden umbrella in it and ordered one for herself.
God knows what was in it, but it was pink she thought to herself.
She smiled as she looked down at her matching pink cocktail and cocktail dress.
She looked over the sea of dark hair, dancing to the fast, yet sensual beat and wished she wasn't going back to her hotel room alone. The couples bodies moulded together as they swayed in time, where making her feel even more lonely than she had been in her apartment in New York.
Zacarias could feel the thoughts within Violets mind; the loneliness.
He wanted to go to her, but the threat of the un dead was close.
He had picked up the unmistakeable stench of a vampire when he had left his home on his way to Violet.
He could only sense one vampire, obviously young and foolish to come near his territory.
He had told his brother he could handle this one alone.
He travelled through the rainforest he knew so well following the trail of death. He scanned the area and frowned.
He could sense no life.
Usually Carpathian men could only detect the presences of death, but as one of the oldest of his kind he had the ability to detect the absences of life. Was there a master vampire close, masking his presence?
Highly likely.
The young, foolish one was no doubt a decoy to draw him to a trap. He scanned more thoroughly trying to gain an indication of the vampires whereabouts.
Nicholas He called to the only brother currently at their ranch home. He wished one of his other brothers was close but they had gone with their lifemates on "honeymoons". Zacharias shook his head, Carpathians don't have honeymoons.
Brother Nicholas reply ignited fear within him. Before Violet, he had known Nicholas was near turning but to hear the blank, emotionless voice was a painful reminder. He would do anything to ensure his brother would not turn.
Nicholas, there is a master vampire in the area. He is using a decoy, younger vampire to draw me. I can handle this alone. But if something should happen to me, protect Violet.
I will come to you if there is need, brother
No, Nicholas. You are too close to turning. I can handle whatever the vampire has intended.
Be smart Zacarias, stay safe. Nicholas blank voice repeated the phrase he himself had often told his brothers whenever they went out to battle. It amused Zacarias that Nicholas would now use it to him.
I am never foolish brother. Remember I am the eldest and wisest.
You will become what the others have. Foolish love sick slaves to their woman.
Zacarias laughed at his brothers emotionless observation.
He had no intention of becoming a foolish love sick slave to Violet, although the possibility of her being his made him ache for her.
He wanted desperately to be with her tonight.
He had been inside her mind so he knew everything about her. More than one thing made him frown and want to lecture her against.
He had always been in charge of all situations, the one who made the orders and remained in control. The same could be said for Violet. She also enjoyed being in control, although he sensed at the moment she felt she had no control. Her whole life had been a fast rollercoaster of education and work, constant control and orders and now she had been thrown from that life, Zacarias believed she wasn't sure what to do with herself. He was determined to stop her drinking… whatever it was she was drinking. All he could see through her eyes was some pink concoction, with umbrellas and pop-up fruit.
Zacarias stopped abruptly, remaining concealed within the air, he scanned for the vampires.
He had suddenly lost the trial.
The vampire seemed to disappear.
He scanned further out, sensing nothing evil.
And yet he sensed no life.
The rainforest was a complex ecosystem of a variety of animals, birds and reptiles, all he knew well, and yet he sensed nothing in close proximity. The vampire must be close.
He rematerialise. His six foot four height, immaculately dressed stood within the foliage.
The green vibrant against the cream of his suit.
His hair unbound, like a dark veil around his broad shoulders, skimmed the expensive cream fabric of his attire. He wore a black silk shirt beneath his jacket.
He was an image of deadly stillness.
The light breeze didn't dare to ruffle the fabric of his suit or his hair.
His eyes motionless and unblinking into the night.
Violet sipped her third pink cocktail which she had discovered was called a "Pink Mumba" as she leaned on the railing overlooking the sea.
She loved to watch waves at night, it was beautiful and peaceful, and something she hadn't had the pleasure of seeing often.
She watched a bird, she couldn't identify swoop down and skim the water, casting ripples across the surface.
Sighing she took another sip of her drink and thought of her parents.
They had been so in love when she was young. Constantly laughing and holding each other.
She remembered her father always referred to her mother as his little honey. They had loved each other for years and they had been happy. She had been as shocked as her father had been to discover her mother had been cheating with her boss at work. She had heard them fighting all night, her mother begging her father for another chance, swearing on Violets life she would never hurt him again. She had heard her father break down into tears, and had cried with him.
She could never stand either of her parents crying, it always pierced her soul. They had been tense together for a few months even though her mother had quit her job but eventually they had become the same happy couple. She was eight when she had needed to come home early from school, stupid Chris Bryant had put ink in her juice which had made her sick.
As the principal had been unable to reach Violets mother, they had called her father out of work.
They had drove home in silence, she had innocently asked for the radio on, and her father had ignored her.
He was so deep in thought.
She could still clearly see the vein throbbing in his forehead as he drove home, wondering where his wife was. Once he saw the red truck parked in the drive he had jumped from the car, leaving Violet to climb out herself.
She had tried to catch up with him as he strode to the house but he had been too fast, too determined. Just as she reached the front door, a man had been thrown through it, nearly hitting her.
The man was blonde and quite handsome, a expensive suit half on now dirty of blood and dirt. Wiping his lip as he lifted himself from the floor she had listened to him yell "bad words" at her father and mother. He had spat blood onto the driveway before leaving in his blood red truck.
Violet had been young, but old enough to realise who this man must be.
Her mother had lied.
She had sworn on Violet life she would be good to papa and yet she hadn't been.
She walked into her house and saw her mother scrambling for her clothes, tears running down her face.
Father was crying on the sofa.
His head buried in his hands.
Violet snapped out of the past as she felt a hand upon her lower back.
Zacarias closed himself off to everything except his surroundings.
He needed to stay alert.
He had never lost a vampire before.
Never one so young.
He tried to contact Nicholas but was stunned to find the common link between them was gone. He felt the unfamiliar taste of fear. Had Nicholas been killed.
No. Impossible, he would have felt the loss.
So what was happening?
Zacarias hated this uncertainty.
Never before had he been so unsure of what was happening.
He tried once more to contact Nicholas, but nothing.
He scanned once more and found nothing.
What was happening? He tried to contact Violet and could see through her mind.
He let out a relieved breath, he could contact her and keep her safe.
His relief was short lived as he watched her dance with another man. His incisors burst through his gums, his eyes flamed red as he could feel the mans hands upon her. He could sense where their bodies touched.
He was desperate to return to her immediately but his honour made him realise he couldn't leave such a danger unchecked. He sent a command to her to step away from the mortal, to leave the bar and return to her room.
He was more than shocked when she didn't respond.
He sent her his strongest command and nothing.
She neither moved away from the man or left the bar.
He snarled into the night.
This must be something to do with the vampire.
He clenched his fists, he could barely stand to remain here when she was holding another man, allowing him to see her smile, her eyes twinkle in the sensual lighting of the bar. He had to first kill the vampire and then the man who dared touch her.
He moved to take a step forward and was shocked to see his feet weren't cooperating. He remained immobile in the darkness. He tried again, but he couldn't move.
Had he been poisoned?
Again he doubted he would have missed the puncture wound of a poison filled injection. And yet he couldn't move or contact anyone. His body was leaden. Stiff. Unmovable.
Once again he attempted to reach his brothers to warn them, but nothing.
An evil laugh drifted over him, carried on the light breeze.
Long time, no see. Old Friend.
Zacarias recognised the voice. Joseph. The eldest of the Malinov brothers. They had grown up together and trained beside each other for centuries. He knew they had turned from Rafael and Nicholas who had fought them when Rafael had found his Colby. He had made the foolish mistake during his youth of offering blood to Joseph when he had been injured in battle. That must be how he knows what Zacarias private links are. Yet he couldn't know about Violet. Could he?
Zacharias felt dread set upon him as he feared for Violet.
I can hear your fears, Old Friend. Zacarias saw the mental impression of the curling of cruel thin lips into an evil smirk. You cannot hide from me. I placed the poison in your life mates drink, when you took her blood you mistook it for alcohol. Its slow working. Only when in my presence did it kick in. Do not worry Zacarias, your life mate is unaffected by the poison. How painfully ironic, that the discovery of your life mate leads you to misery. Another evil laugh came from every direction, ringing in his ears. I don't intend to leave you here to burn Zacarias. No… such an end is too… humane for someone like you. No, I intend to make you suffer. I see the man dancing with your life mate. Violet ...such a pretty name.
Zacarias teeth clenched as he growled into the night. He was sweating with his attempts to move. Blood soaking through the silken shirt to mar the perfection of his creamy suit.
How would you cope if the human touched her?
Zacarias growled once more into the night, the mere idea of another man touching her made his blood boil. The beast begging for blood.
He heard the taunting laugh, and knew he was playing straight into Josephs hands but he couldn't help it. His mind was plagued by the image against his best efforts to remain calm.
My plan, Old friend, Is to leave you here, beneath the ground, unable to call for help. Alone in the darkness, to watch the human hold and touch your woman. I have placed a firm compulsion within the human to… shall we say, be intimate with your little Violet tonight. I hope you enjoy the show.
The last statement was slow and carefully pronounced, every word carefully chosen to devastate Zacarias. He bared his fangs, and craned his neck in a useless attempt to gain freedom.
He tried to deny the words.
Tried to ignore them, push them away and focus, but they had burned onto his soul.
He roared out a strangled pain filled No into the night. Please no... Violet
Unaware a blood red tear was meandering down his left cheek...
